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Keeping Your Own Medical Log for Your Child

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Posted: December 2, 2015

Anyone with a busy life knows how hard it is to keep track of medical information. As parents, we aren’t only responsible for our own, but for our children’s medical information. Even the most basic information, such as when and how much cold medicine your child got, can easily slip through our minds and we are left wondering if the child can even have more when symptoms are re-occurring. A daily medical log can lessen the questioning and even provide more benefits.

Having a medical log can reduce errors in drug administrations. Rather it’s from caregivers or multiple doctors, keeping track of medicine and being able to communicate those correctly will help figure out health situations as they occur. You can’t just relay on the doctors to fully read up on your child’s chart. Having an idea of what your child is on, how much, and when it is given, will reduce time spent figuring out current medications. This is especially important for life-threatening situations. Log your child’s regular medications and also any over-the-counter medications.

Continuing from the last point, keeping a medical log can reduce errors when caregivers or family members are watching your child. They will have the specific time and dosage of the last medicine given, which will reduce confusion about health issues or the need for another dosage. Telling someone you gave your child cough medicine this morning can mean 3 hours ago to them, when in reality it was a hour or two ago. They may decide to give your child more before the recommended time. Not only can this be dangerous, but it is a stressful situation for caregivers and parents. Providing the caregiver the medical log may reduce confusion and questions and therefore reduce errors.

Side effects are possible for all medications, but how can you know if it’s a side effect caused from medication? Or from what medicine? A medical log could point out the reason for symptoms. Side effects may be reduced or treated if caught and a medical log can present the facts. Plus, it is crucial to know rather the symptom is a side effect or another underlying problem.

As stated previously, medical logs will provide information for doctors. When you first go in for a visit, you are asked so many questions; current medications, changes to medications, symptoms, etc. We often forget a thing or two which can mess up the success of the visit. When you have a medical log for your child, you can just bring it along and pull it out to look at while answering questions. This will help keep your information straight and make your child’s visits more helpful.

Getting started with a medical log isn’t as challenging as it may seem. You can either create your own or print off a version found online. Some sites may want a small payment, but there are plenty of free printable medical logs. To see one designed by the FDA, click here. There is also another site that provides multiple logs for all different categories. You can see those options by clicking here. Whatever you choose, make sure it fits your child’s needs and that you can faithfully record information in it.

Medical logs can provide a resource to keep track of important information. It can reduce errors and confusions. It can also provide information for doctor visits and help point out potential side effects. Parents already have so many things on their minds and writing down medical information can ease the stress and worrying parents deal with. It may take a conscious effort, but eventually recording medicine intake will become a habit and could help your child.

If you any questions about Cerebral Palsy or creating a medical log for your child, feel free to call us at (800) 692- 4453 or fill out our contact form on Facebook or our website.

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